1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to alkyl ethers of polyglycerols and to a method of preparing said ethers. More particularly, the invention relates to alkyl ethers prepared by reacting a purified polyglycerol with an alpha olefin epoxide of the general formula ##EQU1## wherein R is an alkyl group containing from 8 to 20 carbon atoms, said reaction being conducted in the presence of an alkali metal alkoxide catalyst.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A variety of surfactants have been reported in the literature. As is now well known, the utility of "ester-type" surfactants -- i.e., those containing an ##EQU2## linkage -- is limited by virtue of the fact that these surfactants hydrolyze when exposed to either acidic or alkaline environments. One solution to this problem is the use of "ether-type" surfactants -- i.e., those containing an R -- O -- R linkage. Although these materials do not hydrolyze as readily as the ester-type surfactants, ethers of polyhydric materials, such as polyglycerols, have previously been difficult to prepare or resulted in only non-homogeneous or dark colored products having only limited utility.
Ethers of polyhydroxy materials, including di- and polyglycerols, have been described in the literature. See, in this regard, U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,258,892 and 2,302,121, both of which are issued to Harris. However, if the ethers are prepared from polyglycerols containing 3 or more glycerol units, there results only non-homogeneous or highly colored products of very limited utility.
It would, therefore, be desirable to produce homogeneous, light colored, ether derivatives of polyglycerols.